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Promotional Sneak Peek – St. Patrick's Day
Here is another sneak peek of a giveaway featured in the promotional calender for the 2014 season. It happens on Friday, May 23rd, when the Oklahoma City Redhawks visit AutoZone Park. Not only is it Irish Heritage Night, but the first 3,000 fans will also receive the green batting practice hat shown above. The night is presented by Silky O'Sullivan's. Get your tickets to this game here.


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By Myles Edwards
Cast your mind back to 1967. Labour were in power in the United Kingdom. War in the Middle East was causing conflict in the western world. Casino Royale was a box office hit. Mini skirts were the craze. Ken Barlow was strutting his stuff in one of the nation's favourite soap operas. Some things never change……some things.
Mel Edwards is a former British marathon international runner with a personal best time of 2hours 18minutes 24seconds (set in 1967), and is widely regarded as one of the most inspiring, modest and popular coaches in the running fraternity.
Born in December 1942, he graduated in Civil Engineering from Cambridge University in 1966 and has since enjoyed a great deal of success in the world of distance running. In a career which has spanned over 40 years, Mel has endured a roller coaster of 'injuries' and success at every level from club competitions to international level. Detailed and accurate training diaries have been kept, which show he has racked up a total of over 100,000 miles of running!

subset: commoncrawl


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In the nine years that Investment Advisor has published the IA 25, our editors' judgment as to the 25 most influential people in and around the advisor community, we've never ranked the 25 in the order of their importance. This year, however, it would be hard to argue with the choice of Mary Schapiro as the most influential person in the professional lives of advisors. The SEC Chairman has stood at the center of implementing the most wide-ranging legislation to affect the financial services world since, possibly, the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Schapiro has also found herself in a political tug of war between those who believe the SEC should get the additional funding she and many others has said is necessary to implement 2010's Dodd-Frank Act, and those who argue that the Act is flawed and should be modified if not repealed, and that the SEC itself is flawed.
In the pages that follow we present for your consideration 24 other notables who have influenced and will continue to influence the advisor community and the investing, practice management, technology and regulation universe in which advisors operate. But the decisions Mary Schapiro makes, the leadership she exhibits, is likely to affect advisors more than any other member of our list.
Mary Schapiro
In an exclusive interview on April 6, Mary Schapiro spoke to Investment Advisor Washington Bureau Chief Melanie Waddell.
If anyone knows how to handle being on the hot seat, it's Mary Schapiro. During her little more than two years as chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Schapiro has not only been grilled numerous times by members of Congress on the agency's mishandling of the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme and how she continues to transform the SEC post-Madoff, but she's also had to justify to lawmakers why the securities regulator needs more funds to do its basic job of policing Wall Street and implementing a substantial amount of rulemakings under Dodd-Frank.
In an interview with Investment Advisor in early April, as the federal budget debate on Capitol Hill raged, Schapiro said that "it's hard to be too specific about how investors in the market will be most affected by cuts in [the SEC's] funding, because it really does depend on how deep the cuts are." The SEC, she continued, "will have to make very difficult choices if the cuts are deep about what priorities we can continue to support and which of our activities, while still very important, are just ones we're not able to support without additional resources."
The SEC, which is still subject to annual appropriations from Congress, did get a $74 million budget boost under the FY2011 CR, but it left the agency still shy of the funds it was allotted under Dodd-Frank. Without being awarded additional funds, Schapiro said, "it would be extremely difficult, virtually impossible, for us to do any hedge fund oversight or OTC [over-the-counter] derivatives rule operationalizing," which are both mandates under Dodd-Frank.
But a bigger worry for Schapiro is that lack of funds could compromise the SEC's ability to detect another Madoff-type fraud. The SEC has "done so much in the last two years to reform the way the agency operates and to help ensure that an episode like [Madoff] never happens again," she said. "While no regulator can ever say it will catch every fraud, we have accomplished much to help reduce the likelihood of a fraud going undetected." However, "much of this [continued oversight of Wall Street] requires resources, and we would be hindered if we don't have the funds to hire examiners or update our technology to analyze trading patterns."
When Schapiro spoke with Investment Advisor in April 2010, she was in the midst of pressing Congress to grant the SEC the legislative authority to put brokers under the same fiduciary standard as advisors. But Schapiro said in her April 2011 interview that a proposed rule on fiduciary duty won't come "until the second half of this year," as the SEC must first "plow through" a number of rulemakings that have "strict" deadlines under Dodd-Frank.
Schapiro said she and a cross-divisional task force at the agency are now meeting with "interested parties to hear their views about the [fiduciary] study" that the SEC conducted under Section 913 of Dodd-Frank. "A number of people want to weigh in with us about that" study, she said. The SEC, she continued, is gauging "their perspective also about the practical limitation issues" involved with a universal fiduciary duty, as well as the issues "around the enhanced [broker-dealer and investment advisor] harmonization analysis that was proffered in the study."
While much of the attention regarding the Section 913 study has focused on its findings regarding fiduciary duty "because that's the more monumental of the issues," Schapiro said, "there is also a lot of interest in the second issue [harmonization]."
When asked how the SEC is weighing a recent letter from Republican members of the House Financial Services Committee urging the agency to conduct a more rigorous cost-benefit analysis on a fiduciary mandate for brokers, Schapiro replied that while she's said previously that the agency "will cast a wide net for views on how we should approach issues" regarding the Commission's rulemakings, specifically in regards to Dodd-Frank, the letter hasn't "changed anything."
While Schapiro reiterated that Dodd-Frank is clear in stating that any fiduciary duty rule for brokers "can be no less stringent than the duty under the Investment Advisers Act," more than once during the interview with Investment Advisor she used the caveat, "if the Commission proceeds with discretionary rulemaking" regarding a fiduciary duty. When asked if she believed a fiduciary rulemaking would have the support of a majority of the SEC Commissioners, Schapiro replied: "I don't know. It depends on what it [the rule] looks like."
Read the extended exclusive interview with Mary Schapiro here.
Spencer Bachus
If Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Ala., had his way, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) that the law created, would not exist.
After being chosen last December to serve as chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, replacing Rep. Barney Frank—the Massachusetts Democrat and one of the authors of Dodd-Frank with whom Bachus shared numerous barbs during the conference debate on the legislation—Bachus pledged that in overseeing implementation of Dodd-Frank, his Committee would be "committed to going title by title through the 2,300-page Dodd-Frank Act to correct, replace, or repeal" provisions of the new law.
Since officially taking helm in January, Bachus and other GOP members of the Committee have wasted little time in their attempts to starve and water down Dodd-Frank. Depending on who you ask, this could be a good thing or a bad thing.—MW
Read Spencer Bachus' extended profile here.
Dale Brown
Dale Brown's been so effective managing the Financial Services Institute that he now has to figure out how to manage its growth.
It's a critical time for the organization. Having just celebrated its fifth anniversary, it's had a major say in recent legislation, most notably Dodd-Frank financial reform.
"We have our fingerprints all over that one," Brown says. "We didn't get everything we wanted, obviously, but then again no one did. But we had a significant seat at the table, and we were able to help influence its outcome."
"The status quo will not stand, and now is the time to take action on a solution," Brown added.
Amen—and on to the next five years.—JS
Read Dale Brown's extended profile here.
Olivia Mitchell
When you think of retirement research, Olivia Mitchell immediately comes to mind.
Mitchell is an International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans professor, department chair and professor of insurance and risk management, executive director of the Pension Research Council, and director of the Boettner Center for Pensions and Retirement Research at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.
Her focus of late has been on women and retirement, an area where women have a serious problem, Mitchell says. They have a disturbing lack of financial literacy. While people in general are far less financially literate than they think, she says, women lag behind men in terms of understanding not just complex financial concepts, but also simpler ones. They fail to plan for retirement, despite their longer life spans and the fact that they are far more likely to end their lives alone.—MS, JS
Read Olivia Mitchell's extended profile here.
Richard Ketchum
In the wake of Dodd-Frank's passage, questions over who will have regulatory oversight over what (when all is said and done) are everywhere at the moment, and Richard "Rick" Ketchum is in the thick of them. Ketchum, chairman and CEO of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, is being praised by industry leaders for the forthright manner with which he's trying to get answers.
"We don't think a requirement exists that there should only be one industry SRO," Ketchum says. "Any group of professionals should be able to get together and form an SRO if they want to. That said, we feel FINRA is suited to the role because we have the experience overseeing broker-dealers and their affiliated reps. We have the infrastructure, capability and an understanding of the wide range of business models that exist in this area of the industry."—JS
Read Richard Ketchum's extended profile here.
Robert Pozen
Not content to rest on his laurels as MFS Investment Management chairman emeritus, Bob Pozen is a senior lecturer at Harvard Business School and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. Before his tenure at MFS, Pozen was vice chairman of Fidelity Investments and president of Fidelity Management & Research Co.
The mutual funds guru is serious when discussing retirement issues such as target-date funds and Social Security.
"I think that target-date funds are inferior to balanced funds," he said in the interview, when considering how employers must provide a default option now that companies are automatically enrolling employees in retirement funds.—JH
Read Robert Pozen's extended profile here.
Tom Bradley
Tom Bradley deserves to be on the IA 25 by dint of his longevity running a major custodian while his key competitors have seen multiple guys and gals at the top; by his refreshing willingness to speak out on multiple areas of interest to advisors; by his long, consistent advocacy of a fiduciary standard for advice givers; and by the way he's grown TD Ameritrade Institutional to become a major player in the custodial space, especially when it comes to its technology platform and its practice management offerings. Advisors know where Bradley stands, and that he stands up for them.
The last time Bradley was on the list, 2009, we quoted him as saying he'd like regulators to "understand the difference between someone who sells a product to individuals and institutions who know they're talking to a salesperson, and those who operate under a fiduciary standard to that individual and institution." When asked in an April interview if he thought regulators now get that difference, Bradley said "the regulators and lawmakers are starting to understand" a development pushed by the move to "harmonize" RIA and BD regulations. "Now they're realizing this is harder than they thought. How can you turn a salesperson into a fiduciary?" Ever the advocate, but also a realist, Bradley says that while much has changed in his 25 years in the business, one thing hasn't: "The RIA community has always been focused on putting the clients first." But he also notes that "there's a reason for two models; we should preserve choice."
How to preserve choice, then, while putting clients first? "Separate sales and advice services from each other." Will it happen? Will the wirehouses split the sales and advice components of their offerings? "If our lawmakers say that they have to do that, they can adjust their models. You're seeing signs of that already—many have RIA umbrellas."
TD Ameritrade Institutional has "gotten good at looking ahead," says Bradley, when it comes to serving its RIAs, citing moves like its acquisition of iRebal and thinkorswim, and its still-young platform of "100 free ETFs, picked by a third party," referring to its 2010 rollout of 100 commission-free ETFs chosen by Morningstar. "Not one of those 100 ETFs has a name that starts with 'TD Ameritrade,' he proudly points out. At press time, Bradley was also proud of a new iPad app for working with TDA's Veo platform. The use of iPads by advisors is not only on the upswing, but "will change the way they interface with clients." But beyond the specific application, Bradley is excited by TDA's Apple computer-like approach to apps: Rather than wait for TD to build apps, third-party providers—and advisors themselves, if they wish—can create advisor-specific applications using the API interface for building applications.
On the advocacy front, Bradley would like to see a more consistent approach on how the SEC conducts examinations of RIAs, and believes there should be more transparency around "the qualifications and training of the examiners." He'd prefer to see the examination process "run like a business," and in fact would like to see the SEC itself become more efficient. "I'm not sure we should just be throwing dollars" at the SEC to improve, calling again for more transparency at the Commission.—JG
Click hereto watch AdvisorOne Wealth Editor in Chief Kathleen McBride interview Tom Bradley on fiduciary duty, the separation of sales and advice and RIA oversight.
Read Tom Bradley's extended profile here.
Ken Fisher
As the founder, CEO, and chief investment officer of Fisher Investments, Ken Fisher is known for his investment savvy. But Fisher is well known for building his firm into a powerhouse RIA with $44 billion in assets under management.
Fisher has built the privately held firm by doing well for clients, to be sure, but there are other elements to Fisher's success that smaller independent firms may learn from.
How do clients know about the independent when larger broker-dealers have the advantage of scale and advertising? There are, says Fisher, "only so many levers you can pull. [What] the little guy can do as he or she grows, is provide focused service, which the wirehouse broker really can't. The wirehouse broker is a salesperson—not really a service person."—KM
Read Ken Fisher's extended profile here.
Mohamed El-Erian
Besides being at the helm of the world's largest bond fund, Mohamed El-Erian, PIMCO's CEO and co-chief investment officer, has become the go-to guy for deciphering what the upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa means for the global economic environment.
What looms as a major threat for the global economy, El-Erian said, is that the disruptions in the Middle East "spread to other oil exporting countries, resulting in a further spike in oil prices and an even larger uncertainty premium." Long-term stability "requires that governments respond […] in an orderly, timely and sustained manner."
Investors' portfolios, El-Erian advised, should be positioned to "navigate a tug of war that will play out over the next few quarters."—MW
Read Mohamed El-Erian's extended profile here.
Mark Tibergien
"It's Groundhog Day in the industry," says Mark Tibergien, where "we are fundamentally dealing with a collection of small businesses who are continually conflicted between growing and managing their businesses, and growing and serving their clients." As has been the case for years with independent advisors, the provision of advice, he says, "prevails over the fundamentals of building a true enterprise."
Most advisors "can build a plan and work clients through the process, but the idea of applying that [same approach] to your business is abhorrent." Tibergien, CEO of Pershing Advisor Solutions, remains optimistic, however. "The good news is that it's a terrific business, and those enterprises that are built to endure through difficult environments and can achieve scale are in a great position to flourish."—JG
Read Mark Tibergien's extended profile here.
Julie Littlechild
To be counted among the most successful firms, advisors have to focus on understanding and building enterprise value. It's a trend that Julie Littlechild, president of Advisor Impact, is already seeing take shape.
Littlechild founded Advisor Impact in 1998, and since then has worked with financial services firms to provide research on how to improve productivity and profitability through client engagement.
With an emphasis on growth, advisors are recognizing their faults, previously hid by a good economy.
"We're seeing many of the most successful businesses taking a more proactive approach to positioning for referrals, recognizing they are not maximizing their referral potential," Littlechild notes.—DA
Read Julie Littlechild's extended profile here.
Bruce Berkowitz
Bruce Berkowitz is the man(ager) of the moment. His Fairholme Fund has performed so well he was named domestic stock fund manager of the decade by Morningstar in 2010. However, despite the accolades, Berkowitz's Bill Miller-style missteps may already have begun.
"This year, his performance is actually at the bottom of his peer group," says Morningstar analyst Kevin McDevitt. "And his overall performance has significantly lagged over the past 12 months."
But McDevitt is quick to note that Berkowitz's contrarian view and unconventional approach means he will have periods of underperformance, and says that when you look at his calendar returns, his underperformance has been rare. "The last time it happened was in 2003."—JS
Read Bruce Berkowitz's extended profile here.
Bill Dwyer
We only had a few minutes with Bill Dwyer, but what he was able to pack into that time was some kind of record. That's what happens when you're a senior executive at a large independent broker-dealer (LPL Financial) and involved with an industry advocacy organization at the highest level (FSI), which is why he made this year's IA 25.
We began with the Financial Services Institute, of which Dwyer is the 2011 chairman.
"This is an unprecedented time for the financial services industry, particularly from the perspective of regulatory changes," he says, with no hint of hyperbole. "Over 70 years of established rules and regulations are being upended."
FSI, Dwyer notes, went from being a startup organization to having a major influence on regulators and legislators in just five years. But despite the organization's success, he notes that its plan for the next five years includes a move beyond mere advocacy.
"Baby boomers are preparing for retirement, and this is significant not just for the size of the demographic but also due to the fact that they have 30 years of defined-contribution experience behind them," he says. "They are the first generation that will completely manage their own retirement portfolio; they won't just receive a pension check each month. This means that they will seek—or rather demand—financial advice."
Dwyer adds that the 55-to-64 age bracket traditionally is a time when individuals experience their peak income, their peak net worth and a sharp increase (45%) in the assets saved for retirement; and the bracket has never been so large.
"It's an opportunity of equal enormity," he says. "I believe it will set off the greatest bull market for financial advice that we've yet seen."
The issues FSI is facing are a mirror image of the issues facing LPL Financial, where Dwyer is president of national sales and marketing. He finds himself in Washington advocating on behalf of LPL almost as much as he does for the industry as a whole through FSI. Additionally, through its purchase of National Retirement Partners (announced in September of 2010), LPL Financial is significantly increasing its presence and offerings in the retirement space.
"One thing that stands out is that the advisor's business will not grow through market appreciation simply because our analysts tell us returns will be lower going forward," he says. "If you couple this with lower risk tolerance, it means advisors will have to grow their practices by adding clients. This is significantly more labor intensive, so LPL Financial is doing things that help to increase the advisor's efficiency."
Advisors, he says, will have to leverage the assistance and capabilities of their broker-dealer or custodian more now than ever before.
"The autonomy that independent advisors experienced in the 1980s and 1990s, almost ruggedly so, is no longer possible," Dwyer says. "It's just too costly."—JS
Read Bill Dwyer's extended profile here.
Phyllis Borzi
As head of the Department of Labor's Employee Benefits Security Administration, Phyllis Borzi's influence on the industry is undeniable, and she and the Labor Department have been instrumental in shaping advisors' future role as fiduciaries.
The assistant secretary announced in March that the department expects to release a final rule on the definition of fiduciary under ERISA by the end of the year. Borzi told Investment Advisor that the DOL is on target to meet that year-end goal, but emphasized her desire to make sure the final ruling is sound.
"We want to make sure we take the time to carefully craft the final regulation the right way and will take the time we need in order to do that," she told Investment Advisor.—DA
Read Phyllis Borzi's extended profile here.
Harold Evensky
In any given year, Harold Evensky is a leading candidate for inclusion on the IA 25. After all, he's built a successful wealth management practice, which he leads along with his equally brilliant wife, Deena Katz. He has served in leadership positions on everything from the FPA to the CFP Board, and has been listed on "Best of" and "Top" lists in multiple associations and magazines, including this one. In fact he was the first member listed on the original IA 25 in 2003. We wrote then that "his thoughts have shaped the media picture of financial planning, and by extension, the public's view of the profession."—JG
Read Harold Evensky's extended profile here.
Eileen Rominger
Introducing Eileen Rominger to a room full of compliance professionals on March 11, David Tittsworth of the IAA coaxed laughter from the audience when he said, only partly tongue-in-cheek, "I think it's fantastic that she's not an attorney. She's a real portfolio manager!"
All kidding aside, Rominger has her work cut out for her. She was named the new director of investment management at the SEC on Jan. 18.
With her background, it shouldn't be a problem. Prior to accepting the SEC post, Rominger spent 11 years at Goldman Sachs, ending up as Goldman's global chief investment officer. Before that, she ran money and served on the executive committee at Oppenheimer Capital.—JG
Read Eileen Rominger's extended profile here.
Scott Garrett
Since taking the helm of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government Sponsored Enterprises in January, Rep. Scott Garrett's goals have been clear: roll back Dodd-Frank, deny the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) a funding increase, dismantle Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and slow down the SEC's fiduciary duty rulemaking.
The New Jersey Republican told SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro in a recent letter that the SEC "lacked a clear basis" to move forward with a fiduciary duty rulemaking for brokers.
Garrett has promised to hold a hearing soon to further review the SEC's fiduciary duty rulemaking as well as the study mandated under Section 914 of Dodd-Frank, commonly referred to as the self-regulatory organization (SRO) study.—MW
Read Scott Garrett's extended profile here.
Meir Statman
We've heard many different definitions for behavioral finance, but none so succinct.
"Behavioral finance is finance with normal people in it," Meir Statman says matter-of-factly. "Sometimes we are normal-smart and sometimes we are normal-stupid."
Statman is the Glenn Klimek Professor of Finance at the Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University and Visiting Professor at Tilburg University in the Netherlands. His research focuses on behavioral finance (obviously), and he attempts to understand how investors and managers make financial decisions and how these decisions are reflected in financial markets.
"We have to understand this is the engine that drives the train, and the train's cars are the baggage investors bring."—JS
Read Meir Statman's extended profile here.
Spenser Segal
For some time now, most advisors have understood that the key to growth, the key to success, is to turn their practices into businesses. While there has been plenty of good advice on how to conduct this transformation, the practical, quotidian tools to do so have been lacking. That's where ActiFi and its founder and CEO, Spenser Segal, stand ready to serve.
The markets and economic crisis of 2008–2009, Segal suggests, was "a wake-up call" for advisors. While in the past "just being a good advisor and letting everything else take care of itself" was workable for most advisors, the crisis showed the value of running a more effective business.
What do advisors need to create businesses out of practices? It's education, finding the right partners, hiring the right people in your firm, Segal agrees, but "ultimately, it's execution that's the key," starting with a decision to devote the "will, skill and time." Noting that "will" tends not be the stumbling block, Segal argues that for many practice management tasks, like picking a CRM system, "there's more to it than meets the eye," and that in tackling such issues—which he notes are often one-time tasks—they need "more skills than what they have already in their practice."
Part of the solution, which he says ActiFi is already seeing occur, is that advisors' partners like TAMPs and BDs and custodians in particular, "are raising the bar in their ability to provide more insight, [and] more effective resources to the advisor to decide and implement" key practice management tasks ranging from segmenting their clients to choosing technology.
"What we're seeing and pioneering," Segal says, is a "scalable practice management workstation" that allows advisors' partners to deliver advice, to be a true partner on implementing that advice, or even providing that advice "on a silver platter."
One catalyst for advisors that will lead them to embrace this more scientific, measurable approach to practice management, says Segal, is succession planning. "Their biggest asset is their practice, so how are they going to be paid for it? You're either going to sell your firm to somebody else, groom your NexGen successor internally and get involved in financing the purchase, or let it die on the vine." To secure that succession, Segal suggests, advisors have to "make sure you've got a practice that runs efficiently without you, to ensure your continued revenue stream."—JG
Read Spenser Segal's extended profile here.
David Tittsworth
Trying to increase the chances that the "government" is an informed and helpful partner to investment advisors is David Tittsworth's stock in trade. The executive director of the Investment Adviser Association (IAA) has raised significantly his profile, and that of the RIAs that he represents and of the IAA itself over the past few years through his testimony on Capitol Hill, through partnering with other advisor advocacy groups, and through his quiet and effective advocacy inside the Beltway, all informed by his insider's knowledge of how government works, or doesn't.—JG
Read David Tittsworth's extended profile here.
Ron Rhoades
In registered investment advisor and fiduciary circles, Ron Rhoades, new to the IA 25 this year, is a gentleman and a scholar. An attorney by training, Rhoades is a private wealth manager, director of research and chief compliance officer at Joseph Capital Management LLC, which manages about $160 million for around 150 families.
Rhoades notes that "it is incumbent on RIAs to educate the public at large, through articles in community newspapers, about the different types of advisors and the advantages and disadvantages of each."—KM
Read Ron Rhoades' extended profile here.
Elizabeth Warren
Controversial doesn't begin to describe her. Elizabeth Warren is the living embodiment of the struggle for balance between consumer protection and market liberalization.
As the chief architect of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), she has faced both praise and skepticism from lawmakers about the agency she is constructing.
Besides mainly Republican lawmakers' worries that the CFPB's mission to protect consumers could trump safety and soundness concerns for financial services firms, they also want to rein in how the CFPB will be funded.
Warren countered that in terms of accountability, "Let me remind you of the [agency's] structure: It is the only agency in all of government whose rules can be overruled, negated by other agencies," she said.—MW, JS
Read Elizabeth Warren's extended profile here.
Blaine Aikin
Blaine Aikin is so steeped in the fiduciary issue that IA columnist Bob Clark believes Aikin is one of a handful of people responsible for raising it.
Aikin is a member of the Committee for the Fiduciary Standard, a group that advocates for the authentic fiduciary standard as presently established under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 and seeks to ensure a "client first" approach is included in any reform that might come from Washington.
Aikin is CEO of fi360, which promotes "a culture of fiduciary responsibility" and improves "the decision making processes of investment fiduciaries."—JS
Read Blaine Aikin's extended profile here.
Michael McRaith
Michael McRaith, director of insurance for the state of Illinois, has been appointed by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to head up the new Federal Insurance Office.
McRaith will be the first person to hold the new position, and will be advising Congress and other federal entities on state insurance regulation and other insurance-related matters, such as insurers' financial health.
While the new office has no direct domestic regulatory authority, it does have authority to monitor all activities related to insurance, excepting only health and long-term care insurance.—MS
Read Michael McRaith's extended profile here.
Tim Johnson
Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, has a big fight on his hands: He's not only beating back attempts by House Republicans to water down Dodd-Frank and stall putting brokers under a fiduciary mandate, but he's also trying to ensure that the SEC and the CFTC are adequately funded.
The SEC and CFTC, he said in an emailed statement to Investment Advisor, "serve on the front lines investigating fraud and abuse, [but] Republicans don't want to provide them with the necessary resources to do their jobs and effectively protect American taxpayers and investors."—MW
Read Tim Johnson's extended profile here.


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310,00 €
1 stone diamond 0.01 ct
Width plate 0.5mm * 2cm
Thickness plate 1 mm
Length 45 cm
Adjustable 40 cm
Reference 021
IMALINZ has selected the highest quality materials to create your jewellery pieces. To preserve your jewellery's condition, we recommend observing the following instructions:
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All IMALINZ jewelry are 14k gold
14k gold is commonly made of the following materials: 58% pure gold, 25% pure silver, and 17% pure copper. Gold can be alloyed with other metals, too. Be aware that white gold commonly contains nickel (added for both color and strength). For them to maintain their pristine condition, the pieces should not be bent or tightened.
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Natural pearls and stones are delicate. They must be protected from impact when being worn and stored. The cultured pearls that we use are natural and one-of-a-kind. They come in a wide range of colours and shades. They should be kept away from chemical and abrasive products


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FINRA's new rule 2111 seems to be triggering serious discussion, perhaps for the first time in the U.S., about advice suitability with regard to risk, which is a good thing. By international standards FINRA is playing catch up, as are advisory services generally in the U.S., when it comes to suitability and risk. A requirement to assess an investor's risk tolerance and to consider that assessment when giving advice is commonplace elsewhere, and in some cases has been a given for many years.
The benchmark on risk suitability is being set by the U.K.'s counterpart to the SEC, the Financial Services Authority. In March 2011, the FSA released a guidance paper, "Assessing Suitability: Establishing the Risk a Customer Is Willing and Able to Take and Making a Suitable Investment Selection." In the U.S. and elsewhere, the willingness and ability to take risk are more commonly referred to as risk tolerance and risk capacity. The guidance paper was the outcome of a study by the British regulator of what advisors were actually doing with regard to risk tolerance and risk capacity. The study found widespread inadequacies which were identified and addressed in the guidance paper. Standards in the U.K. then were no lower than current standards in the U.S. A similar study carried out in the U.S. today would find similar inadequacies. Since the guidance paper was released, the FSA has followed up on its recommendations and a review of its findings is expected soon.
Whether FINRA's new rule will have any immediate impact remains to be seen. At a recent National Society of Compliance Professionals conference, a FINRA representative said that he was not aware of the U.K. regulator's activities and said that FINRA had no current plans to issue guidance on what advisors needed to do to discharge their obligation. Rather, he said FINRA was leaving that to the brokerage firms.
One unfortunate aspect of the new rule is FINRA's definition of risk tolerance, namely, "a customer's ability and willingness to lose some or all of the original investment in exchange for greater potential returns." Regulatory Notice 11-25 cites the SEC's Beginner's Guide to Asset Allocation, Diversification, and Rebalancing as the source for the definition.
As noted earlier, willingness to take risk is usually interpreted as being synonymous with risk tolerance. Under FINRA's definition, high risk tolerance would mean that both the willingness and ability to take risk were high, whereas low risk tolerance would mean that either willingness or ability to take risk were low.
Additionally, the investors section of the FINRA website currently includes this statement:
Both your age and your time frame for meeting specific financial goals play a role in determining your risk tolerance. If you're young and have a long time to meet your goals, you may have a higher risk tolerance than someone who is nearing retirement and is counting on investment income to live on for two or three decades.
That description of risk tolerance is a statement of the accepted 'wisdom' that younger investors are more capable of recovering from a setback because they have more time to do so. But this is about financial circumstances, including human capital, and not psychological predisposition. Using it in this manner further muddles the meaning of risk tolerance and this lack of clarity makes compliance with the suitability rule more difficult.
Admittedly, this may simply represent a lack of communication between FINRA's education and compliance arms. Nonetheless, it is indicative of the terminology difficulties that abound in discussions about risk tolerance specifically and risk suitability generally.
In suitability discussions in other jurisdictions, the early stages became quite confusing for advisors because, among other things, terminology was used with different, and sometimes unusual, meanings by different participants. In this context FINRA's unusual definition of risk tolerance and the inconsistency between that definition and the views expressed on its website are not helpful.
The U.K. regulator's standards do constitute good practice. However, it is not unknown for regulators elsewhere to have set compliance standards that mitigate against good practice. Hopefully that is not going to happen in the U.S.


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Honor the Heroes of the Game, Preserve Its History, Promote Its Values & Celebrate Excellence Everywhere
"You play as hard and as tough as you can, but you play clean. We hit each other hard, sure. But this is a man's game and any guy who doesn't want to hit hard doesn't belong in it."
(West Virginia)...6'1'', 230...Robert Lee Huff ... All-American guard at West Virginia ... No. 3 draft pick, 1956 ... Inspirational leader, brilliant diagnostician with great speed, tackling ability ... Noted for hard-hitting duels with premier running backs ... Had 30 career interceptions ... Played in six NFL title games, five Pro Bowls ... All-NFL three years ... Top NFL linebacker, 1959 ... Redskins player-coach, 1969 ... Born October 4, 1934, in Morgantown, West Virginia.
Because his early NFL tenure was spent with a winning team in the multi-media maze of New York, Sam Huff became one of the most publicized of all pro gridders. At the age of 24, he appeared on a Time Magazine cover. He was the subject of a television special, '"The Violent World of Sam Huff." Almost overnight, he became the symbol of the new glamour era for defensive football.
Sam was flooded with honors. He was named All-NFL three times, picked as the NFL's top linebacker in 1959 and selected for five Pro Bowls, four of them while he was with the Giants. The relatively new middle linebacker's job called for someone big enough to handle the power runners, fast enough to overhaul swift halfbacks and agile enough to protect against the passer.
To these attributes, Huff added a true love for the game and a unique ability to diagnose and disrupt the opponents' plays. Sam was best known for his hand-to-hand combat near the scrimmage line and for his duels with the likes of Jim Brown and Jim Taylor but he was also adept at pass defense. His 30 pass steals attest to that facet of his game.
In spite of his abundant talents, fate had to intervene several times to keep him out of the West Virginia coal mines. When Sam was a junior at Farmington High School, the West Virginia University coach came to town to look at a hot prospect but wound up recruiting Sam instead.
At the end of Huff's college career, Giants scout Al DeRogatis came to look at an All-America guard named Bruce Bosley. "Bosley is great," DeRogatis wired back, "but there's another guard here who will be even greater. His name is Sam Huff." Huff was a third-round draft pick in 1956 but, once in camp, things turned sour. Coach Jim Lee Howell agreed that Sam was a quality athlete but admitted he didn't know where to play him. Discouraged, Sam left camp and headed for the airport. There he was intercepted by assistant coach Vince Lombardi who lectured him on the merits of guts and determination and coaxed him back to camp.
Shortly after Sam's return, fate stepped in a final time. Ray Beck, the regular middle linebacker, was injured and Huff, in the emergency, got a chance to fill in. He did the job so well that Beck retired and Sam never had to worry about a regular football job – or the coal mine – again.
Full Name: Robert Lee Huff
Birthdate: October 4, 1934
Birthplace: Morgantown, West Virginia
High School: Farmington (W.Va)
Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame: January 23, 1982
Enshrined into Pro Football Hall of Fame: August 7, 1982
Presenter: Tom Landry, head coach, Cowboys and Huff's defensive coach with Giants
Other Members of Class of 1982: Doug Atkins, George Musso, Merlin Olsen
Pro Career: 13 seasons, 168 games
Drafted: 3rd round (30th overall) in 1956 by New York Giants
Uniform Number: 70


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What is SKIP?
SKIP is a treatment research program devoted to promoting the integration of mental health services in primary-care and related health care settings. The focus of SKIP is on Pediatric and Family Medicine. Our procedure includes introducing a specially-trained nurse or clinician to work alongside physicians and staff to provide mental health treatment and referrals for children.
You are hereddblock images with links
Calendar of Events
Watch for upcoming events in 2020.
Need more information about SKIP content or training?
Have a question about SKIP?
Contact the SKIP Team


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Well that was unexpected. Melissa Rosenberg, who has written the screenplays for all of the Twilight films, is in negotiations to come on board the Highlander reboot to work on that script. Justin Lin (Fast Five) is on board to direct the film, which will be a remake of the 1986 Christopher Lambert cheese-fest classic (and winner of the Academy Award for Best Movie Ever, according to Ricky Bobby). Neal Mortiz is producing the film, and when he recently sat down with Steve he said that the film will "stay true to the core of what we believe Highlander is," but they also want to make it "for people who are new to the franchise."
The most recent draft of the script was written by The Wibberley's (National Treasure). Heat Vision's report doesn't state if Rosenberg is coming in to do "touch-ups" or to completely re-tool the script. There's no release date set for the film yet, but it's presumed to be Lin's next film.


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Susan Shaw Handcast Coin Toggle Bracelet
Regular price $44.00
Unit price per
Gold Coin on Textured Chain Bracelet
8" inches • Toggle Clasp • Handcast 24Kt Gold Plated
Handmade in San Antonio,TX
The Lucky Knot is a great store with a selection of many great preppy items! This is one of my favorite stores, and is very convenient and an organized place to shop at! The staff is especially polite, and helpful! I would highly recommend The Lucky Knot, it's a great store!
Virginia Prep
Google Reviews
The Lucky Knot is my "Go To" local dress shop. I've purchased 10 Jude Connally dresses there in the past couple of years. They have THE best Jude selection anywhere and can get you a size if they don't have it. The staff that works there is very responsive, helpful, and well....just downright fun to deal with. Best part is that they WILL tell you if a style isn't working for you. They will help you find the best for you. You will leave there with a wardrobe that makes you look and feel terrific!
Vanessa B.


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Back in August, RIM (Research In Motion) launched the BlackBerry 6 OS powered BlackBerry Torch 9800 smartphone. This is an amazing device, which has a touch-screen display as well as a slide-out QWERTY keyboard. BlackBerry Torch is already available in the UK, but if you were waiting for the white color variant of this amazing device, then we have a good news for you. According to Vodafone UK, the white BlackBerry Torch will be soon available, exclusively on the airwaves Vodafone UK.
BlackBerry Torch 9800 features a 3.2 inch HVGA touch screen display, 480×360 pixels resolution, BlackBerry 6 operating system, optical trackpad, slide-out QWERTY keyboard with backlighting, Bluetooth v2.1 with EDR, 3G Connectivity, Wi-Fi, 5 megapixel camera with continuous auto-focus, Image stabilization, 2x digital zoom, Light and proximity sensor, 3.5mm stereo headset jack and so on.
Other features include a 3.5mm stereo headset jack, 512 MB flash memory, 512 MB SDRAM, 4 GB internal memory, 32GB expandable memory, Built-in GPS with BlackBerry Maps, VGA (640×480) video recording, up to 30 hours music playback, up to 18 days Standby Time, up to 5.5 hours talk-time and 1300 mAHr lithium-ion battery.
The price and release date of this handset has not been announced yet. Stay tuned for more updates.


text: This is a logo/ident track which will create a huge impact for your opener. The track is made up from Staccato & Legato Choirs, Dhol and Taiko drums, Double Bass, Cello and Viola String sections, French Horns, and Sound Design. Leading into a crescendo with a final climax, it will be sure to leave an impression.


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Console systems/PC enclosure systems/Industrial Workstations
TopConsole system TP
3-part, modular system for individual requirements. Simple one-handed operation and reliable latching of the lid stay. Compatibility with TS 8 system accessories, such as base/plinths and cable entry grommets.
One-piece consoles TP
One-piece consoles TP, ready-to-use component with high protection category IP 55 in four different widths. Tool-free assembly of the cover with a lid stay. Compatibility with TS8 system accessories, such as base/plinths and cable entry grommets.
Universal consoles TP
Universal consoles TP, high level of stability and high protection category because the body is more or less manufactured from a single piece.
PC enclosure system
Secure accommodation of all PC components, from monitors, to PCs, to keyboards. For ultimate ease of operation in a modern design. Perfect protection from humidity and dirt, temperature fluctuations and unauthorised access.
Enclosure for tower PC
Compact enclosure, ready to connect for standard commercially available tower PCs. Protection category IP 55.
Industrial Workstations
Modular system for professional, attractive workplace design in industrial environments. May be combined with support arm system and command panels. Supports the use of TS 8 system accessories.


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Nexgard Chewables
Starting at: $20.14
Slip Lead for Dogs
Starting at: $11.95
Window Sill Protector
Starting at: $20.99
Herm Sprenger Prong Collar
Starting at: $25.07
Trifexis Chewable Tablets for Dogs
Starting at: $19.99
Heartgard Plus Chewables
Starting at: $5.69
Select Grille Knotted Rawhide Bone Kennel Pack
Starting at: $36.39
KONG Wild Knots Plush Bear Dog Toy
Starting at: $8.87
DuraCrate Folding Dog Crate
Starting at: $39.99
Marshall Premium Ferret Diet
Starting at: $17.63
Midwest Puppy Playpen w/ 1/2" Grid
Starting at: $114.99
KONG Comfort Kiddos Plush Dog Toy
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Andis UltraEdge Clipper Blade
Starting at: $20.30
K9 Advantix II for Dogs 6-Month Supply
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KONG Floppy Knots Dog Toy
Starting at: $11.79
KONG Wubba Ballistic Dog Toy
Starting at: $6.27
Herm Sprenger Snap Prong Dog Collar
Starting at: $29.27
Frontline Plus for Dogs - 6 Month Supply
Starting at: $70.18
Fromm Gold Nutritionals Adult Dry Dog Food
Starting at: $13.81
Apoquel Tablets
Starting at: $2.65
KH Mfg Bucket Booster Pet Seat
Starting at: $70.49
Birdola Plus Wild Bird Large Seed Cake
Now: $7.31
MidWest XXLarge Dog Crate
Starting at: $33.89
Fresh N Clean Pet Shampoo
Starting at: $11.39
Kong Air Kong Medium Squeaker Tennis Ball
Starting at: $3.07
Andis UltraEdge Clipper Blade Size T84
Now: $27.11
KH Mfg Chocolate Original Bolster Pet Cot
Starting at: $52.49
Canine Spectra 5 Vaccine Single Dose
Now: $7.99
Sometimes, manufacturers require that products be advertised only at their suggested prices.
When we choose to sell these items for less, we display the sale price only in the cart. To see the price, click Add to Cart.
is truly a one stop shop for pet owners and animal lovers. Whether you are
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1800PetSupplies.com is your source for pet accessories! Shop with us and see why we are your best source for online pet supplies! We are anything and everything for all pets.


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COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - A tourist from North Carolina taking photos of the old Department of Mental Health State Hospital grounds discovered a man who had been electrocuted while trying to steal copper, according to authorities.
Richland County Coroner Gary Watts said the discovery happened Sunday morning on the grounds of the old State Hospital property off of Bull Street in downtown Columbia.
Anthony Williams, 39, of Columbia was found hanging by a harness strapped to a frame holding electrical transformers approximately 20 feet in the air. It appears he was attempting to steal copper from the transformers, the coroner said.
Williams' body may have been there for a couple of days, according to Watts.
The coroner said a lot of the property at the location has been abandoned, but the power lines and transformers are still live.
Because the incident happened on state property, SLED is handling the criminal investigation.
Copyright 2013 WIS. All rights reserved.


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55% Duties on Chinese Tires Would Be Plain Stupid in Every Respect
Last month, I posted about the upcoming decision confronting President Obama on the question of whether or not he should impose trade restrictions (55% duties) on passenger tires from China, as recommended by the U.S. International Trade Commission.
I am in the process of finishing a short paper on the issue, explaining why doing so would be disastrous for the economy and foreign relations, but am taking a break to share this brilliant op‐ed that appeared in today's Detroit News. Ross Kogel, Jr., president of Tire Wholesalers, really hits the nail on the head, articulately and succinctly, explaining that there is no upside, only misery, in the proposed tariffs.
Michigan could sure use several more Ross Kogel and far fewer of the business‐as‐usual pols and union leaders who have run the state into the abyss.


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Beat the Streak Report: Thursday, May 6
And down goes "dodger_blue."
One day after being profiled in the Beat the Streak Report, John Phillips saw his 31-game streak go down in flames thanks to Ryan Theriot's 0-for-4 performance on Wednesday. Thanks for playing John, enjoy that whole veterinarian school thing.
With Phillips out of the way, "olifante" is all alone in first place atop the leaderboard with a 32-game streak after selecting Albert Pujols, who went 1-for-3. "olifante" is now 56.1 percent on his way buying one of those vibrating, insanely comfortable, ridiculously expensive leather massage chairs that everyone sampled at The Sharper Image once upon a time. Those chairs were awesome.
User "bowl218" lived to see another day, extending his streak to a shiny 31 games thanks to Dustin Pedroia's 2-for-3 evening.
As for the rest of the BTS world, Theriot and Robinson Cano combined to evaporate 25.4 percent of all streaks in the whole wide world. Eeesh!
Time for Thursday's picks.
Oh, hello there …
- Chipper Jones: .520 AVG (13-for-20) lifetime vs. Nationals starter Scott Olsen
- Dustin Pedroia: .517 AVG (15-for-29) lifetime vs. Angels starter Scott Kazmir
- Placido Polanco: .412 AVG (7-for-17) since '05 vs. Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse
- Russell Martin: .444 AVG (4-for-9) lifetime vs. Brewers starter Dave Bush
Feeling kinda spicy?
- Matt Diaz: .440 AVG (11-for-25) lifetime vs. Olsen. Don't mind if I do.
- Willy Aybar: .500 AVG (4-for-8) lifetime vs. Mariners starter Ryan Rowland-Smith. Don't mind if I do not.
You'll thank me later …
- Edgar Renteria: .000 AVG (0-for-14) lifetime vs. Marlins starter Ricky Nolasco
- Adrian Beltre: .111 AVG (2-for-18) lifetime vs. Kazmir
- Bobby Abreu: .125 AVG (2-for-16) lifetime vs. Red Sox starter Daisuke Matsuzaka
- Chase Utley: .143 AVG (2-for-14) lifetime vs. Lohse
Leaderboard time!
Not far behind our fearsome twosome is "cruj," who is flashing a 29-game streak after taking Albert Pujols yesterday.
Top MLB streakers
- Evan Longoria: 11 games
- Albert Pujols: 10 games
- Jeff Mathis: 10 games (DL)
- David Freese: 9 games
- Bengie Molina: 9 games
- David Wright: 9 games
8 Comments
your leader takes Evan Longoria….
31-bowl218 takesPlacido Polanco….
29- cruj takes Justin Morneau….
26-mike.meyers takes Evan Longoria ….
26-ziggy111takes Dustin Pedroia….
26-joeyniu82takes Dustin Pedroia….
these are the only ones over 25
Jayson Werth and the Philadelphia Phillies for this afternoon.
Jayson Werth hit's a 3-run home run first at bat and the Phillies are winning 5 – 1 so far.
Jayson Werth goes 3-4 and the Phillies win.
1 game hit streak and a 9 game win streak now !
My luck has been in the dumpster lately. My pick today is Justin Morneau. Jayson Werth has been on an absolute tear lately – great pick today and I looked at him but did not pull the trigger! Cruj's 29 game streak is in major jeopardy today as he also picked Justin Morneau.
Cubs are in a hitting funk – stay away.
What was the highest win streak was from last season ?
Was it the 36?
Win streak, not hit streak.
last year's winner finished with 45


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KCM pays ZCCM-IH $100 million
KALONDE NYATI, London
ZCCM-INVESTMENT Holdings (IH) has todate received US$47 million in payments to recover over US$100 million owed by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).
Last year, ZCCM-IH commenced legal proceedings against KCM Plc in
the London Courts to recover over US$ 100 million it was owed after the courtâs ruling that the latter pays ZCCM-IH.
ZCCM-IH chief executive officer Pius Kasolo said the two organisations which, continue to enjoy a cordial relationship, agreed on a payment plan and has been making payments from January to April.
âKCM paid US$20 million, US$22 million in February US$2.5 million in March and another US$2.5 million in April.
âSubsequent to the judgment ZCCM-IH and KCM agreed on a payment plan favourable for both parties in the interest of the business. KCM has since been making payments as agreed, and I must say we continue to work together as partners,â he said.
Dr Kasolo said ZCCM-IH remains committed to work closely with mining companies as they are partners in the development of the country and is confident about the fundamentals of the mining industry in general and those of copper.
âOverall, we will continue to grow our portfolio beyond mining and will further increase our foothold in the energy sector, agriculture sector and real estate so that the company continues to maximise shareholder value.
âWe are focused on driving sustainable long-term growth and value creation in our investment portfolio,â Dr Kasolo said.


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Bills owner buys unsold tickets, avoiding TV blackout vs. Bengals
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills say team owner Ralph Wilson is buying the remaining tickets for Sunday's home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, preventing what would have been the NFL's first local television blackout this season.
Bills President and CEO Russ Brandon said Friday morning that Wilson has guaranteed the purchase of the unsold tickets for the game. The team had announced that 5,300 tickets still remained as of Thursday afternoon, when the NFL granted the Bills a one-day extension to avoid a blackout.
Buffalo sold out its first three home games but has thousands of tickets remaining for the final three games to be played at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buffalo's Dec. 1 home game against Atlanta will be played at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.


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Dream Bars Recipe
Swapped at the 2011 Cookie Swap by Dulces / Let Them Eat Cake columnist Maria del Mar Sacasa
- Yield:Makes 24 bars
- For the crust
- Cooking spray
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ½ cup pecans
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons (1 ¼ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
- For the topping
- 1 ½ cups sweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup cream of coconut
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
For the crust: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°F. Line 13- by 9-inch baking pan with heavy-duty foil lengthwise with one sheet, then crosswise with a second sheet to create a sling; coat with baking spray.
Process flour, brown sugar, pecans, and salt in food processor until pecans are coarsely ground. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press mixture firmly into prepared baking pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool on wire rack 20 minutes.
For the topping: Combine shredded coconut and cream of coconut in bowl. In separate bowl, whisk eggs, brown sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Stir in pecans, then spread filling over cooled crust. Dollop heaping teaspoons of coconut mixture over filling, then spread into as even a layer as possible with rubber spatula or back of spoon (it will be patchy).
Bake until topping is deep golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then, use excess foil to pull out onto wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
Once cooled, remove foil and cut into 24 pieces. (Bars can be refrigerated in airtight container for 5 days.)
All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.


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October 1, 2012
Professor Catherine England, associate dean of the School of Business Administration at Marymount University in Arlington, says the best plan for sound financial health is creating a budget and sticking to it.
Stories this photo appears in:
Creating Path to Financial Stability
Advice for developing and strengthening sound money habits.
Money experts say creating sound financial health requires planning and discipline.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.


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A warm welcome to my little space here. My name is Vanessa and this is where I have recorded tiny snippets of my life and makes.
I started this little blog really as a way of recording a new crafty path in my life. There was so much that I wanted to try and have a go at, and this was my means of recording it.
I started blogging eleven years ago, and it's been a lovely little reminder for me of all the nice bits and pieces in amongst the everyday. I love colour and texture, and it forms a big part of me, and how I view the world.
Thank you for stopping by.


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Top attractions in Rome
Rome: Shuttle Bus Transfer to or from Ciampino Airport
Rome: Street Food Tour with Local Guide
Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel Skip-the-Ticket-Line Entry
Colosseum, Palatine & Forum with Skip-The-Ticket-Line & Host
Rome: Borghese Gallery Ticket with Escorted Entrance
Rome: 35-Minute Pantheon Audio Guide Tour
Rome: Trevi Fountain Underground Experience
Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel Tour
Rome: Fiumicino Airport – Rome Termini Direct Bus Transfer
Ancient Rome and Colosseum Small Group 3-Hour Walking Tour
Rome: Guided Tour of the Catacombs of St. Callixtus
Top sights in Rome
The 10 Things You Need to Do In Rome
So, the Eternal City is on your bucket list? Prepare to mix and match 2500+ years of history and discover your own version of Rome. You could fall in love with this city without ever seeing a museum -- but here are some of the more notable sights.
Vatican City
Vatican City is the world's smallest independent international state, a walled-off enclave within Rome. It's home to 842 people, the Sistine Chapel, and St Peter's Basilica.
Vatican Museums
Some of the world's most important relics -- the Sistine Chapel, for example -- are located inside the Vatican Museum. A guided tour here is worth every penny.
Sistine Chapel
Located inside the Apostolic Chapel, within the residence of the Pope, Michelangelo's ceiling fresco in the Sistine Chapel is a sight to see. Also, spend time studying The Last Judgement on the altar wall.
Roman Forum
This is where to go when you want to see Roman ruins. The Roman forum itself was once a marketplace or plaza, and is surrounded by the remnants of ancient government buildings.
Tour this famous amphitheater and reflect on the incredible architecture from 72 AD. The Colosseum is more impressive than any football stadium you've ever seen, AND it's 2000 years old.
Palatine Hill
It's thought that Palatine Hill is where Rome began. Excavations show that people have lived there since 1000 BC, and the ruins are steeped in mythology.
St Peter's Basilica
This tourist attraction is also the center of the Catholic world. The stunning St Peter's Basilica was built on the site where Peter, the apostle and first pope, was buried.
Raphael Rooms
Raphael's 16th century frescoes line the walls of the Palace of the Vatican's four public reception rooms, also called Raphael Rooms.
Galleria Borghese
Known to be one of the best museums in Rome, the Galleria Borghese is a 17th century villa is located in the sprawling Borghese park. You'll see antiquities, Renaissance art, and early Baroque pieces.
Trevi Fountain
Rome's world-famous Trevi Fountain depicts the mythological Neptune, backed by two Tritons. A fun place to grab a gelato, throw a coin in the fountain, and people-watch.
Planning Your Rome Visit
How long should you stay in Rome?
We can promise you won't get bored! You could manage to hit a lot of attractions in 4-5 days, or you could stay for months. Rome is incredibly walkable -- meaning it's easy to get a sense of the city just by exploring the neighborhood where you decide to stay. You'll quite quickly discover hidden-gem Italian restaurants or accidentally stumble upon Roman ruins.
How much money do you bring?
The big attractions charge you an entrance fee. Colosseum tickets start at 10€ to tour the inside. You can plan on seeing a lot of the ruins and churches from the outside for free, and you will find delicious Italian food for reasonable prices. One very cool free activity: the Casa del Cinema at Villa Borghese. The city of Rome subsidizes the outdoor film screenings here. Buy some wine and pizza, sit on the grass, and take in a free movie.
Where is the good shopping?
This completely depends on your budget and style. You'll probably walk down Via Connotti on your way to the Spanish Steps. That's where to go if you're looking for the great designer houses of Italy, like Prada and Gucci. Alternatively, check out the Mercato Monti in the neighborhood near the Colosseum. It's open daily for your fashion and trinket flea market fix.
One more thing to know about how old Rome is...
Roman tradition suggests the city was founded in 753 BC, and archaeologists suggest that inhabitants were settled there even earlier!
Good to know
- Language
- Italian
- Currency
- Euro (€)
- Time Zone
- Country Code
- +39
- Best time to visit
- Rome is in southern Italy, so winter weather is mild. One tip: keep major Catholic holidays in mind. It may mean things are closed; more likely, it will mean huge crowds. Whether or not you want to see Easter at the Vatican, it will help your hotel (or flight) plans if you know in advance.
Things to Do in Rome
Top Attractions in Rome
Cities in Italy
Other Sightseeing Options in Rome
Want to discover all there is to do in Rome? Click here for a full list.
What people are saying about Rome
Great guides in both the sections of the tour
Barbara for the Hill & Forum (2+approx)was informative, fantastic and lively with a group of 6. With the small group we covered a lot of ground and a wealth of information. Coliseum Dungeon section was new to us, and worth it. Extremely knowledgeable guide in a group of 24. Tours and guides were outstanding. Before tour make sure you have active communication available- ie phone , WhatsApp, email?. 2of the 3 couples had signed up for 4 pm over 2weeks before tour- then got 24 hours notices that tour time changed to 2 pm. This has to do with the dungeon section is very limited and time slots are difficult to get. Luckily I saw a what's app message at 10am, being I was at sea before hand. Also do be there 25 minutes beforehand and use GPS/ google look for Nicotours white banner.
BRILLIANT tour! Would highly recommend! Informative but fun!
Brilliant tour! The extra underground and top level viewing of the Colosseum was really worth the extra cost and would high recommend this tour for the Colosseum! Tom (the Roman Forum Guide) especially went above and beyond to make it exciting, interesting and informative, he was incredibly knowledgable on the history of Rome but also good at describing it in an engaging way to novices like us - I am so glad we had him as our guide for the Forum! We were very glad to have a guided tour through the maze of buildings in the Forum and would recommend it to anyone. FIVE STARS!
My first visit abroad-and so,so 'worth it'!
This was an amazing tour and just what I had hoped for. I have pain/difficulty walking and stair-climbing but managed - worthwhile! Our Guide, Leonardo, was super, a lovely chap and so enthusiastic and helpful (he could also tell us on the mini-bus about the food of Italy. As this was my very first visit (and would now be encouraged to return!) it was a lovely wee respite from the ancient Catacombs. For myself, the two small bus journeys across the busy streets between venues was a pleasant little 'break'. In all - GREAT. And thanks to all, Heather.
The whole tour was informative and entertaining- so glad we booked it!
The tour took place during the morning and therefore we dodged a lot of the bigger crowds. It was well organised and the guides were friendly and informative. The colosseum was amazing and we had lots of opportunities to look at and take pictures at each level. Moving onto the forum and Palantine Hill we met our guide Tom who was amazing. He lived and obviously loved the history of Rome and entertained us with fascinating facts and reminded us about lessons from history. It made for a fascinating tour which went by in a flash! Highly recommended
big group, but tons of facts and overall a great tour
tour started off a little out of order mostly at the check in process due to number of people in all the tours. Seemed like they started four tours at the same time so it was a little confusing. But once we got into the vatican our tour guide (who is a former archaeologist) provided TONS of interesting details about everything were looking at. Very informative and interesting. overall would take the tour again, hopefully they work out the check in details


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Since Sabian was founded in 1982, the hand-hammered HH series has been the epitome of individual and professional sound. This classic of modern drumming has now been reworked by Sabian and the result is the HH Remastered cymbals: fast response, combined with warm sound and wonderful playing characteristics make HH Remastered cymbals the ultimate choice for contemporary and professional sound.
Old recipe with new influences
Comparable to the renewal process of the HH Cymbals is the "remastering" of a classical album. The sound was rounded off again and complexity was added to each cymbal to make the frequency mix of the HH Remastered series even more sophisticated and harmonious.
The crashes are even thinner and now impress with faster response and warm crash, the ride cymbals of the HH Remastered series sound even more traditional and defined than their predecessors. The HiHats have also been noticeably renewed and now feature a more precise response and a warmer, more precise sound.
The pool profiles have been revised and also the hammer technique is a better one: HH Remastered cymbals are shaped with 3000 - 4000 hammer blows before the drummer finally has the pleasure to play these cymbals.


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|Other OS Any other OS such as Microsoft Windows, BeOS, Plan9, Syllable, and whatnot.
|Thread Tools
|Display Modes
I don't think that writing a whole new set of tools really solves anything, IMHO The `hey, this could be better, let's just make a whole new application/api and throw the old one out'-attitude is seldom useful. Actually making the existing solutions better is almost always the best thing to do, there are exceptions to this of course, and sometimes there is no one `golden' solution, but more often than not the differences are minor and don't really matter.
A simple example might be epoll vs. kqueue, they both do the same thing, and AFAIK there's no real functional difference between them.
kqueue was there a couple of years earlier, but for some reason the Linux devs opted to create epoll. Perhaps they had good reasons for that, perhaps not, but the situation 12 years later is that we need to use a wrapper if we want to support both FreeBSD & Linux.
Later someone created inotify, which does pretty much the same as epoll & kqueue, with minor differences/improvements, further complicating matters.
And that's just Linux & FreeBSD, other systems may use yet another solution...
UNIX was not designed to stop you from doing stupid things, because that would also stop you from doing clever things.
An imposed GUI wouldn't be a sign of freedom for me. Even a good GUI...
For example, OS X is a really good OS, with a very good GUI, well integrated.
But I prefer OpenBSD, just because it's more flexible.
I started to use computers with MS-DOS, just like you, and I use everyday Windows, OS X & OpenBSD, with Windows's Explorer, OS X's Finder, KDE, LXDE, XFCE, FVWM etc..., depending of the machine I use.
And I don't see much differences between those different OS & GUI.
I'm not resistant to anything.
But I really don't see the need for a new GUI, since BSD's GUI are sufficient enough.
So I wonder if a new GUI would change anything, except for a low percent of users...
ThinkPad W500 P8700 6GB HD3650 SSD
ThinkStation P700 2x2620v3 32GB 1050ti SSD 3xHDD
Let us be specific. I have stated in what ways the desktop environments in BSDs are lacking. Namely, they lack the tighter integration with the OS that Linux provides by various daemons, some of which are ported to BSDs while others are not. It is currently messy "Linuxisms" that make BSDs more user-friendly for desktop.
I have proposed two solutions. What is your stand on each of them?
i.e. 1. One of the BSDs choose to focus and create a DE that is entirely UNIX-like and clean, i.e. focus on the BSD services instead of relying on Linuxisms. It could be a fork of any of the existing desktops like Gnome or KDE as well. Thus the entire abstraction layer could be eliminated making the GUI layer talk directly to the kernel rather than through "abstraction kits". This will be ideal and allow BSDs to have feature rich DEs without depending on Linux code.
2. BSDs embrace new solutions in the place of the existing Linuxisms like Conksolekit, policykit, dbus etc. which will seamlessly allow the existing DEs to work as feature-rich on BSD as in Linux.
Surely it is within the scope of a project or a group within the BSD community?
The current situation is that many of the features of Gnome and KDE that are Linux specific, either do not work at all on BSD or are half-implemented, making these desktops less featureful.
Linux has long been supported by industry grands, such as IBM, Oracle, RedHat etc., who's nowadays responsible for almost 50% of kernel code changes. IBM alone invested 1bn USD into Linux 10-12 years ago and is going to repeat it again. Such a strong backing leads to a much broader functionality, hence a bigger eco-system, more distribs, more hardware drivers, more software, more games ported, more life.
OpenBSD is the example of that.
UNIX was not designed to stop you from doing stupid things, because that would also stop you from doing clever things.
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Linear Mode


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Want a Boogie Board? Get one here: http://gideonshalwick.com/boogie This HAS to be the coolest little gadget so far for me for 2014 – it's the Boogie Board Sync 9.7, and inside my video […]
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Shop for Beading Supplies at Low Prices!
Beads Factory has been a wholesaler and retailer not only for jewelry accessories but also a major supplier for Preciosa, and Swarovski crystals. We have been in business for over 27 years, and are located at 810 Maple Ave. Los Angeles CA 90014.
We import many of our products from Austria, Czech Republic, and China.
Browse our product categories:
Feel Free to join us any of our social medias to get exclusive news and deals while getting a better look inside Beads Factory.
Currently there is no minimum purchase at either our retail or online store.
Bead Factory, INC. is always happy to assist you in any way we can. Please take a moment to review the FAQ for many answers regarding our online and retail store.
We have customer service representatives available by phone Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. PST to assist you:
(213) 624-2121 Online Store
(213) 627-9553 Retail Store
Thank you for choosing Bead Factory, and dont forget to add that extra touch of sparkle!


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| 2.9°C Belfast
Rita Ora has revealed she regularly ditches her designer gear to go shopping in budget-priced Primark in disguise.
The Hot Right Now singer is noted for her head-to-toe approach to expensive labels but admitted she likes to nip into the cheap and cheerful firm's shops to stock up on clothes when the need takes her.
In an interview with the new edition of Top Of The Pops magazine, she said: "Sometimes I put on a hoody and shades and go into Primark.
"Last time, I bought underwear and socks cos I was on tour and I'd run out of everything."
The performer also talks about recording with her boyfriend, the producer and DJ Calvin Harris, with whom she worked on new single I Will Never Let You Down.
"I felt really shy working with him. It was an experience, but I was nervous," she told the magazine, which is out now.
"It's like any relationship. I just want to stay there with him and I can be totally relaxed. He's my best friend."


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The Hepco&Becker Alurack is especially designed for our topcases. As the successor to the luggage rack made of round tubing, the Alurack continues the tradition and is offered for later-generation motorcycles. This means you can attach nearly every Hepco&Becker topcases, wether aluminium or plastic and choose freely from the whole product line.
Every Alurack is developed for the specific model and fits beautifully into the motorcycles overall look. Production from premium aluminium gives the Alurack great strengt and an elegant look. The Alurack design integrates additional luggage belt fastening points for attaching baggage rolls etc.
แร็คหลัง Alu rack Hepco&Becker Versys1000


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Quickjump reports that, according to a Nintendo news release, Disaster: Day of Crisis, being developed by Monolith Soft for the Wii won't make its July 2008 release date in Japan and has been delayed indefinitely.
Reason for the delay: lengthen the development process to improve the quality of the product. That has back-to-the-drawing-board written all over it, IMHO. The game involves surviving/coping with repeated natural disaster strikes while taking down a rogue military unit that's seized a nuclear weapon - 24 meets The Day After Tomorrow meets The Core meets ... So it will need big visuals and super realistic physics to be a winner. Maybe that's the problem, who knows.
Disaster: Day of Crisis Delayed Indefinitely [Quickjump Network, thanks El Cernex]


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Clinical Lead- Witham
- Recruiter
- TXM Healthcare
- Location
- Essex
- Starts
- Closes
- Recruit Type
- Recruitment Agency
- Hours
- Full time, Part time
- Salary
- £100,000 +
GP- Clinical Lead- Witham
Location: Witham
Position: GP Clinical Lead
TXM Healthcare are currently seeking GP Clinical Lead to work with a non partner practice, to provide senior clinical leadership at a surgery based in Braintree, Essex. Ensuring that clinical services comply with and work within CQC regulations and requirements. As GP Lead you will provide consultations and perform health screens within out patients within the private clinic, providing the highest level of patient care
This post I 8 hours a week but further hours are available working as a GP in this and other local GP surgeries.
Competitive Salary Offered
- Flexible Working
- Indemnity Cover Provided
- 6 weeks annual leave
If you are interested and wish to receive more information about the job then please send your CV to: email@example.com or call Sophie on 01908 326213
Benefits of working with TXM Healthcare
- Dedicated Recruitment Consultant- Sophie Maple
- Express Registration Process
- Free DBS Application If Required
- Mandatory Training- CPD Points Gained
- Top Rates of Pay
- Nationwide Coverage
- Weekly Payroll
- Dedicated Team for Revalidation and Appraisal
TXM Healthcare is an equal opportunities employer. If you have any specific requirements or require assistance or reasonable adjustments to be made for you during the selection process due to disability or long-term health condition, we will do our best to assist you.
Similar searches: Essex


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Live Chat
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Scleroderma is a chronic disease that causes abnormal growth of connective tissue. It can affect the joints, skin, and internal organs. It is degenerative and gets worse over time. The disease can be in one area of the body. This is known as localized scleroderma. Or it may affect the whole body. This is known as systemic sclerosis. Scleroderma is more common in women.
Scleroderma is thought to be an autoimmune disease. This means the symptoms are caused by the body attacking its own healthy tissues. Genes play a role in the disease, but the environment also plays a role. Family members of patients with scleroderma have a mildly increased risk of developing scleroderma. However, many patients with scleroderma do not have family members with the condition.
Scleroderma can lead to scarring of the skin, joints, and internal organs. Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each person, and may include:
The symptoms of scleroderma can look like other health conditions. Make sure to see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis.
The process starts with a medical history and a physical exam. Diagnosis is based on the changes in the skin and internal organs. An antibody test may help show the type of scleroderma. Tests may also be done, such as:
Treatment will depend on your symptoms, age, and general health. Treatment may include:
Talk with your healthcare providers about the risks, benefits, and possible side effects of all medicines.
With localized scleroderma, some symptoms may get better over time. However, damage to skin and other organs may be permanent. With systemic sclerosis, symptoms can over time lead to damage to the skin and cause thickened, tight skin. This can change your appearance. And it can cause problems with your movement. It can also cause severe kidney, lung, digestive, or heart problems. In some cases, these organ problems can lead to death.
Systemic scleroderma is a long-term condition. It is important that you learn ways to best manage your symptoms. Learn about the disease and work with healthcare providers who have experience with scleroderma. Because scleroderma can affect so many systems of the body, you may need to have many specialists on your health team. Physical and occupational therapists may help you with managing your activities of daily living. Make sure that you and other team members are in regular touch with each other. If you are not able to manage your care, pick a trusted person to oversee your care. Make sure to address your emotional well-being, too. Do not hesitate to ask for help when you need it.
If your symptoms get worse or you have new symptoms, let your healthcare provider know.
Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your healthcare provider:
Vidant Health can connect you to health care professionals to help you understand your condition and guide you through the treatment process. Let's chat.


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Restaurant owner accused of duping employees out of their paychecks
SAN ANTONIO — A La Vernia restaurant owner who told authorities she duped as many as 60 undocumented immigrants out of their paychecks — a dozen of whom were her own family members — with promises of providing them official immigration paperwork appeared in federal court in San Antonio on Wednesday.
Yolanda Hernandez de Arteaga, 48, faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million on a charge of wire fraud.
U.S. Magistrate Judge John Primomo released her Wednesday on a $25,000 unsecured bond, meaning she only has to pay that amount if she violates the conditions of the bond, which include, among other things, surrendering her passport and not traveling outside Bexar County or the seven counties contiguous to it.
Co-defendant Maria De Lourdes Montano-Vicencio was already in federal custody on unrelated charges but also has been charged with wire fraud for her role in the alleged scam, said special agent Michelle Lee, a spokeswoman for the FBI based in San Antonio.
In a criminal complaint, the FBI alleges that Arteaga and Montano-Vicencio took $89,600 via Western Union and Money Gram transactions over a two-year period from the "victim immigrants" who were employed at Arteaga's restaurant.
According to court documents, in an interview with FBI agents who had identified 18 victims already, Arteaga told them there were as many as 60 victims and that she was related to at least 12.
On Nov. 19, search warrants were executed on Arteaga's La Vernia home and her business, Los Compadres Mexican Restaurant, where agents found receipts corroborating victims' stories about the wire transfers, a ledger with the names of the victims and the amount they owed, as well as the birth certificates and travel documents of some victims.
A preliminary hearing for Arteaga is scheduled for 9 a.m. Dec. 10 in federal court in San Antonio.


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Is basketball on the rise in Southeast Texas?
Recommended Video:
Only two local boys basketball players, Port Neches-Groves' Brennan Doty, a walk-on at Lamar, and Central's Jamar Gulley, who plays at Missouri State, are currently at the NCAA Division I level.
But this area is witnessing a wave of talent as several prospects are receiving scholarship offers from power-conference schools. Since former Port Arthur Memorial guard J'Covan Brown left the University of Texas in 2012, no local player has suited up for a BCS-conference school. Former Memorial forward Dominique Keller last played for Illinois in 2010.
Three juniors - Memorial's Dorian Chatman, Ozen's Jordan Hunter and Central's E'Torrion Wilridge - have garnered attention from big-name programs. And Nederland senior Colton Weisbrod, who was last season's District 20-4A MVP, has Division I offers.
"At one time I think there was a lot of talent in the area and I think it kind of dropped off a bit, but I think it's on the rise," Nederland coach Brian English said.


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New taxes won't avoid 2012 deficit for Harrisburg
Workers could briefly go without pay
Increased tax revenues for Harrisburg won't be collected in time to avoid a $12 million year-end deficit.
The city could run out of money before Jan. 1.
State officials overseeing Harrisburg's recovery said the city could run out of cash before the end of the year. That means bills wouldn't be paid and city workers could go without paychecks for a short time.
A spokesman for Mayor Linda Thompson said it isn't as bad as it looks.
The 1 percent hike in the earned income tax approved by city council will raise a little over $5 million for the city.
By the end of the year the city won't have the money to pay its debts and obligations and city workers at the same time.
City Controller Dan Miller said Harrisburg has already skipped two debt payments amounting to $6 million and may skip another due in December.
He said he believes the city will have over $5 million to pay some obligations and employees through the rest of the year.
City Spokesman Bob Philbin said taxes are still being collected along with other revenue. He said money could be tight by the end of December, but he doesn't think it will affect the city payroll.
While the city and state work to pay down Harrisburg's $40 million, Miller said he believes bankruptcy is still the answer to keep the city from sinking further into debt.
There have been a few other times the city was very close to running out of cash. But again city officials believe they will be able to pay some obligations and employees through the end of the year.


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Some overnight success stories really do come true. Ask Rocksann Page, owner of Southern Belle Boutique, which specializes in personalized and monogrammed merchandise, from picture frames to water bottles, car mats, serving trays and iPad, Kindle and eReader sleeves.
What began a few years ago as a random idea grew into a business run from Rocksann's bedroom and geared toward personalized office supplies. That is, until the entrepeneur soon found herself, and her business, thrust onto the national platform after a fateful call from HGTV.
Since appearing on the cable television channel, Southern Belle Boutique has added a slew of products to its line now sold online and inside several brick and mortar stores. This June, Southern Belle experienced its biggest feat to date when Rocksann was asked to create 1,000 koozies to be placed inside the Daytime Emmy Awards' gift bags, to be given to notable celebrities and attendees of the show.
The Voice-Tribune caught up with Rocksann to learn more about her booming business and how she's dealing with her recent surge to success.
– Ashley Anderson, Staff Writer
When did you first start your business?
It started back in 2008, but the design end of it didn't start until 2010. And, I kind of started playing around on the computer, and just started with some programs, and I was telling my husband, I said, "I bet I can learn to do this and I'm just going to try and see how it goes.†And, I stayed up every night probably for a year or more, every night until 2 or 3 in the morning learning these programs and watching videos because I've got three little girls, so I didn't have time to go to school to learn how to do it, so I had to teach myself.
What makes your business unique?
Everything can be personalized. … I'm right at 42 prints right now and I'm adding all the time. … I wanted to make sure that I kind of stayed with something that a woman of any age would want to use.
I have a customizer that will be launching here soon. … It will give the customer an option to go onto an item, and they can pick their patterns, their colors, their frames, their monograms and they can see exactly what it will look like before they proceed to check out.
What type of client is your business geared toward?
I'm dealing with women on a daily basis, and most all my women are brides or they're coordinating for
special events.
I'm trying to get into several different market shows right now and I'm actually planning a trip to New York in March to go to the stationary show, that way I can expand my product line. … I'm in the process right now of adding a lot of new items. I went from having just a handful and now I've got over 40 that are on the site, and I'm continuously adding.
(I'm also) in the process of launching the children's line. … And hopefully after this year, my goal is to put up something that is just for men.
When did your business really take off?
Kind of my business happened overnight. I got contacted by HGTV, and then once that happened, several magazines contacted me. It's kind of been like a ripple effect. … I still can't believe that it's really going on, I'm still kind of like in the pinch me effect, (making) sure I'm not dreaming, and I'm thinking that any minute now somebody's going to say 'OK, we're really just joking.'
How did you become involved with the Emmys?
I got an email from a woman who does the gift bags … and she kind of is the coordinator of all the events. She's the one that goes through and she finds people, businesses kind of like mine, that are different. The kind of small businesses that are trying to get their names out there.
What do you hope to accomplish with your business?
If I'm doing anything, I'm showing my little girls that you can have and do and be anything you choose to be, as long as you want it bad enough, you can do it. It's going to take hard work and persistence and determination and courage, and all of these things. And I think that was my biggest thing. … I wanted my little girls to be proud of me.
For more information on Southern Belle Boutique, visit thesouthernbelleboutique.net.


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The article is titled "Rays need to get out of Tampa Bay." And it is filled with all the typical ESPN.com rhetoric. Such hits like…
The Rays have some passionate and supportive fans. There are simply not enough of them.
And then there are nine or ten more paragraphs of "yadda, yadda, yadda" to support the conclusion that the Tampa Bay area "hasn't been a great place for Major League baseball to do business."
But what really puts the article over the top is the picture sitting front and center. The same one you see above. It's great, right? It caters to every stereotype of Rays baseball. Thousands of empty seats.
There is only one problem: It is a bold-faced lie.
The first thing you will notice (here is a larger version) after the empty seats, are the old school Devil Rays logos. [Ed note: the photo has since been removed after the author of the article got ripped to shreds on Twitter. The story is now using a pic of Kelly Shoppach hitting a HR in Milwaukee, of course]
But wait. There is more.
A search through the archives shows that
the Rays used teal on the tops of the dugouts from 2003 through 2005.
Then we noticed that the first baseman appears to be wearing #19 (Aubrey Huff) and the second baseman appears to be wearing a number beginning with a "5." Jorge Cantu wore #59 in 2004, his rookie season. So that narrowed it down to the second-half of 2004.
But then Jamal Wilburg hit the jackpot. He found the original picture in the AP archive. An afternoon game against the Royals on September 22, 2004. Attendance that day was listed as 8,392.
So…To emphasize that the Rays need to "get out of Tampa Bay," ESPN.com uses a picture from the 8th inning of an afternoon game in September played between two teams that were a combined 61.5 games out of first place.
Ahhh, but it gets better! No, really!
Remember Hurricane Ivan? Of course. Well, this game was during Hurricane Ivan (thanks Andrew). The Rays had to travel that night to New York to face the Yankees. As a result, the team moved the game from 7:15 to 12:15 at the last minute. And according to the game notes, "the actual turnout appeared to be between 1,000 and 2,000."
So, by all means, let's use THAT game as an example of Rays attendance in 2011.
Yeah, that's credible.
But we're not done. Oh no. There is more! Here is the picture ESPN.com used on their front page as a tease (click on the image for a larger version)…
Look at how empty the Trop is! Because, you know, the Rays have terrible fans if they don't show up for a closed practice during the 2008 playoffs on a day there was no game (more huge thanks to Jamal).


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Turkish Rice Pudding
1/3 cup short grain rice, washed and drained
1 1/2 cup water
3 cups whole milk
1 cup half and half cream
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp corn starch, melted in 4 tbsp milk (use from 3 cups milk above)
Pinch of salt
Bring 1 1/2 cup of water to a boil, then add the rice and lower the heat. Simmer for about 25 minutes (until a little bit of water is left) with the lid covered in a medium sized pot. Add the cream, milk, vanilla extract, sugar and salt. Then slowly add the dissolved corn starch. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat until you see bubbles on the surface. Turn the heat off after one minute.
Pour into 6 small glass bowls with a ladle. Place in the fridge to chill them. Sprinkle some cinnamon on top before serving.
4-5 servings.
Turkish Baked Rice Pudding
(Firinda Sutlac)
After cooking the Turkish Rice Pudding, pour it into individual ovenproof bowls. Set the oven to broil. Arrange the bowls on the oven tray and place on the middle rack. Leave in the oven until the tops become brown.
Sprinkle some pistachio or cinnamon on top. Serve hot or chilled.
*Ottoman Kitchen
Labels: Dairy Desserts